Switching mechanism



June 9, 1925. 1,541,344

H. w. GOFF I SWITCHING MECHANISM Filed June 1922 Patented June 9, 1925.

UNITED; s'rnrss PATENT OiFFlLC E HiBOLD W. GOFF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOKTO WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, OFNEW YORK,'N. Y., AOORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SWITCHING MECHANISM.

Application fil ed June 27, 1922. Serial No. 571,191.

To all whom it. may concern..-

Be it known that I, HA-RoLn W. Gorr, a citizen .of the United States, residing, at New York,.in the. county of New York, Stateof New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Switching Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This. invention relates to improvements inswitching mechanisms and has particular reference to a switch structureemployed in automatic telephone exchange systems.

In the type of switch apparatus: generally known as coordinate switches, it has heretofore been customary to rovidea singleinsulated supporting mem er on which a plurality of sets of active contacts have been collectively mounted. Such an arrangement has necessitated theremoval of all of the setsof-contacts to ther with the support ing member there or when one or more of the sets'were to be replacedor repaired.

An object of the present. invention is to divide a plurality of sets of contacts into groups, each of which includes a. number of said. sets combined to form..a unit which may beremovedfrom the switchzstructure without disturbing other units.

In accordance with this object eachunit has a.v separate supporting member and an operating member which is connected to another operating member common to all the operating members of theindividual units f'theroup- Anot er object. is totprovlde. a switch Structure of simple and economical design which willv be eflicient and reliable in operation.

The above andcother Obj cts will appear more; clearly, from the following detailed description ofthe switch, when taken in connection. with the accompanying. drawing, whichv illustrates .a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

Inthe drawing, Fig. 1 isa fra mentary vertical longitudlnal section of t e switch structure; Fig. 2 is -a:perspective view showing. two-cooperating sets ofactive contacts and .the operating parts therefor; Fig. 3 s a fragmentary rear-elevation ililustrating the manner in. which the insulatedcont ct suprting membersarc mounted on the-switch imme and held in position thereon.

Referring more particulamly --toithe drawing,-the switch frame is shown as including a. plurality-of horizontally disposed support ing bars 1 which extendtransversely across the rear of the frame. Each of these bars is utilized to support a number of vertically disposed and superimposed insulated sup porting members 2, adjacent endsof which are recessed as indicated at 3 to receive a: longitudinal edgeof .oneof the bars 1. In order to maintain thesupporting.members 2 in position on the switch frame, apivot, such. as the screw 4, is carried by the bar 1 and disposed ata point between adjacent ends of four of the supporting .members 2. Rotatablyn'lounted on. the pivot- 4 is a substantially circular latching plate 5 which, when in operative .position, engages adjacent ends ofathesupporting members 2 and thus maintains the same in posit-ion on the switch frame. Latching plate 5 is provided with anotch .6 in its periphery so that if it is desired to remove, any one of the supporting members 2, the latch 5 may be r0- tated until the notch 6. therein assumes a position where no part of the-latch will be engaged with the supporting member which is to be removed- Atthe same time the other three supporting members engaged by the latch 5 .will be maintained in proper position thereby.

Each of thesuppontingmembers 2 carries a plurality of sets of fle'xibleline contacts? extending forwardly therefrom, the contactsof each set beingdisposed in ahorizontal plane.- The sets of linecontacts 7, supported by each-of the members 2, combine to provide a unit and are controlledthrough theintermediary of an operatingmember 8 individual to the sets forming said unit.

Each member 8 is in the form ofa bar which extends longitudinally with respect to the associated supporting member 2, and which is provided at each end with a lateral extension 9 having a slot 10 therein for receiving a pin 11 carried by the line bar 12, which is common to all of the operating bars 8 arranged in the same vertical plane. By thus constructing the bars 8'it is obvious thatthe same may be readily disconnected from operative relation with the line bar 12 by moving said bars 8 rearwardly until the pins 11 are disengaged from the slots 10.

Each set of line contacts 7 is embedded .in an insulated block 13 disposed intermediate the ends of the set and normally engaging a stop14, which limits'upward movement of the set of contacts when the same are restored to normal after the connection established thereby released. Each set of contacts further provided with a latching member 15, preferably made of a single length of wire having one end secured to an operating member 8 and its other end bent to form a substantially rectangular frame 16. the upper side of which extends through and is loosely mounted in the block 13, whereby the latching member has a pivoted movement therein. The lower side of the trame 1o further bent to provide a shoulder or flange 11' which. when the latch ing member 15 operated, is moved to a position in the path of an associated link bar 18, which is pivotally mounted at its forward edge in a portion 01 the switch frame as indicated at 19. A grid element is carried by each of the link bars 18 and comprises an insulated strip 20 secured to said bar and having series of transverse slots 21 termed in the uppa and lower edges thereol and arranged in staggered r lation as indicated in Fig. A plurality oi conductors are engaged in the slots 21 and helically wound about the insulated strip 20 to form a oi active link contacts vhich are moved relative to the sets of line contacts by the rotation of link bar 18 controlled by a magnet having its armature 21 forming a part of said link bar. The construction and operation of the grid element is substantially the same as that disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 550,611", filed April 8. 1922.

The line bar 12 is controlled by magnet 25, the armature 26 of which is designed to engage a pin 27 carried by the bar 12 adjacent its lower end so that when the magnet is energized the bar 12 is moved downwardly and carries therewith the operating members 8. lhe latching members 15 of the sets of contacts 'l'orm ng the various units controlled by the line bar 12 are moved about their pivots in the blocks 13 so that the flanges 17 will be positioned in the path 01 movement of associated link bars 18.

In the operation of the switch one of said link bars is thereupon operated by the energization of its magnet '9 and moves the assoc ated set of link contacts re ative to the adjacent set of line contacts 7. At the same time the rear longitudinal edge of the link bar 18 is engaged with the adjacent flange 17 and exerts a pressure upon the latching member and block 13, which causes the associated set of line contacts '7 to be moved downwardly toward the link contacts 22 until said contacts are engaged. A slight additional movement may be imparted to the link bar 18 so as to flex the set of line contacts 7 to maintain the same in close eng .rement with the link contacts 22- while the connection therebetween exists. After a connection is established the line bar 12, together with the operating members 8. are restored to their normal positions by the release of magnet 2 and thus all of the latching members 15, which have been actuated by the line bar 12, will be restored to normal. with the exception of the latching n'iember which has been engaged by the operated link bar its. \Vhile the connection is established between the operated sets of contacts T and the line bar 12 may again be actuated to in tiate the establishment of a coexisting connection through the medium of any one of the other link bars. \Yhen a connection is eleased the magnet 23 oi. the operated link bar 18 deencrgized, thus permitting said bar to restore to normal when it becomes disengaged from the flange 1? ol the latching membcr 1 and thus allows said latching member, together with the block 12} and set 01 contacts 7. to restore to normal.

l rom the foregoing description, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be apparent that should it be desired to repair or replace one of the units comprising a plurality of sets of contacts 7, this may be done by simply disengaging the latch 53 from the supporting member 2, which carries said plurality of sets oi contacts atter which the entire unit may be removed from the switch frame by disengaging the operating member 8 of the unit from the line bar 12. In this manner the unit may be removed. without disturbing other units forming a part of the switch structure.

The type 01 switch in which this invention may be adapted is disclosed in Patent No. 1,515,735, issued November 18, 1924, to Charles L. Goodrum etal.

What is claimed is:

1. In a switching mechanism, a plurality of sets of active contacts arranged in groups each of which forms a unit, a common operating member for said groups, an operating member for each of said groups controlled by said common operating member, means -lor removably supporting each group in 0perative relation to said common operating member, a plurality of sets of passive c0nductors arranged in parallel rows coordinately disposed to said sets of active contacts each of said sets of passive conductors being adjacent to one of said sets of active contacts, a plurality 01 operating link bars corresponding in number to the said plu rality of passive conductor sets and means operable under the conjoint operation of said common operating member and one of said link bars to efl'ecta connection between a set of active contacts and its adjacent set of passive conductors.

2. In a switching mechanism, a plurality of sets of active contacts arranged in groups each of which forms a unit, a common operatin member for said oups, an operating mem r for each of sai groups, a plurality of sets of passive conductors arranged in parallel rows coordinately disposed to said sets of active contacts, a plurality of oper ating link bars for said sets of passive conductors, means operable under the conjoint operation of the common operating member and one of the operating llnk bars to move an active contact set and a set of passive conductors into engagement, the connection being effected through themedium of the unit operating member which is removably connected to and controlled by said common operating member.

3. In a switch structure, a lurality of sets of active contacts arrange in oups each of which forms a unit, a plura ity of supportin members one for each of said groups 0, contacts arranged in vertical rows and a clamping device for securing adjacent supporting members to said structure and arranged to permit the removal of one su porting member without disturbing the other supporting member.

4. In a switch structure, a lurality of sets of active contacts arrange in roups each of which forms a unit, a plurality of supporting members arranged in vertical and horizontal rows each of said members supporting a group of active contact sets, a single clam ing device for securing the adjacent mem rs in a horizontal row-with also the adjacent members in a vertical row in said structure and arranged to permit the removal of one member without disturbing any of the other members.

5. The combination in a coordinate switch structure of a frame, a plurality of molded strips of cont-acts disposed coaxially on said frame, and a notched disc for locking said strips in position thereon and for permittinlg the unlocking of said strips individua y.

6. The combination in a coordinate switch structure of a frame, a pair of parallelly disposed contact strips thereon, another pair of parallelly arranged contact strips coaxially disposed relative to the first mentioned pair, a rotatable locking disc therefor, and an adjustable pivot for securing said disc against rotating thereon.

7. The combination in a coordinate switch structure of a plurality of pairs of parallel and coaxially arranged strips of contacts, a frame therefor, a notched bar arranged across said frame for locking said strips in an adjusted position thereon, and means ro tatable on an adjustable pivot for securing said strips in position in the notches of said bar, and for releasing said strips individually.

8. The combination in a coordinate switch structure of a frame, a plurality of parallel contact strips disposed at intervals on said frame, and a disc for locking said strips on said frame collectively and for unlocking the same individually.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of June, A. D., 1922.

HAROLD W. GOFF. 

